Justice League Next Generation Dark Days
by LordFrieza
Summary: The Blackest Night Saga falls on the children of the Justice League
1. Chapter 1

_**Justice League Next Generation 'Dark Days'**_

_**Chapter 1 (Death where is your Sting?)**_

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55

(Gotham Cemetery – six and a half years after the fall of Dark Justice)

A being shrouded in the darkness slowly walks toward a simple grave. Although its face can't be seen a familiar looking ring rests upon its finger. The ring looks similar to those wore by the Green Lanterns, but this one is black. The being almost chuckles as a casket bursts from the ground. The lid opens to reveal a rotting corpse of a man who had died to protect an immortal princess. Inside of the casket beside him is his fencing sword and a few odds and ins.

"Rise." The being says before a black ring graphs itself to the finger of the corpse.

Dead eyes open to see the world once more. Inside there is a need, a hunger for fear, hate, anger, and every dark emotion across the board. Yet the seemingly good nature of the host attempts to control his thoughts. He tries to remember who he is, where he is, and what he is. He stands and the one before him stretches out his hand.

The ring on the newly revived corpse's hand forces him to kneel before the being which has revived him.

"You are close to one of those who would provide a way to stop us. She must be converted." The being says.

The newly revived corpse's mouth opens and even though he doesn't wish to say it words come out.

"Of course she will join us or she will die." He says as he reaches into the casket and pulls the fencing sword.

Dark energy moves around the sword morphing it and converting it. No longer is it a simple sword used for sport, but instead it is a rapier. The sword is as black as the darkest night like the ring now adorns the finger of the corpse.

"Go forth and do our will." The being says as the corpse disappears.

(Metropolis – Near Luthor towers)

A cloaked being steps near where one had given their lives to save his beloved. It stretches out its hand and a form appears. The form slowly becomes solid and falls to the ground. It looks to be long dead. It's eyes have long since turned to dust leaving mummified skin over bone. A single black ring slides onto the reformed corpse's hand. It stirs and through almost mystical means it sees the cloaked figure before it.

"There is much work to do." The cloaked figure says.

"Mary…" The reformed being says as it looks at the ring and attempts to remove it.

"No, you are part of us. You are one of the dead and the dead have come to reclaim what is theirs." The cloaked figure says.

"Mary…" The reformed being again says as it tries to leave.

"You have a will of your own. You will obey us." The cloaked figure says before pain unknown to the reformed being shoots through him knocking him to his knees.

"You have been chosen Johnny West. You will reclaim what is ours." The cloaked figure says as it removes the hood to reveal the mask of Scarecrow under it.

The reformed Johnny West tries to break loose, but suddenly his arms go to his side and the pain becomes even greater. He screams in agony before finally he grows still.

"Do you understand?" Scarecrow asked as the horrid eyes of the mask looks at Johnny.

"Yes… I understand." Johnny says silently.

(Wayne Manor – Garage)

Hippolyta looked at the old truck she was working on. Jackie's parents had wanted her to keep the truck since he had done nothing but talk about her. She had grieved with them and even though she never married their son they had welcomed her into their family. That had been six years ago and she still talked to them to this day. Janet, Jackie's mother, had sent her a birthday card a couple of months ago, and to her surprise it was decked out in Dungeons and Dragons designs. Hippolyta's mind went back to the old ford as fit the head back on and began putting the tapit cover back in place. No sooner had she finished then the truck engine began to turn over and it started. She jumped back and looked in the driver's seat to see Jackie sitting there.

"Hey pretty lady." He said as he left the truck running and stepped out.

"You've kept it running good. It sounds like nothing has happened at all to it." Jackie said as he walked near her.

"J… Jackie?" Hippolyta asked as she watched him near her.

_No! Don't get near me! _Jackie screamed in his mind as his body moved toward the girl he loved.

"It's me… Sorry that I don't look to good, but then beggars can't be choosers." Jackie said as he began moving toward her.

Hippolyta felt tears stirring and she caught him into a fierce hug. She held him tightly refusing to let him go since she now had him. She felt his arms move around her. His gentle touch reminding her of everything she had lost. He kissed her shoulder and she let a small moan of happiness escape her. She was back with him again.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Jackie asked.

"Forever and ever." Hippolyta answered.

"Then you have to join me. You have to become one of us. The dead can't exist with the living my love. You must join us in what we now are." Jackie says as he steps back.

"Join you? Jackie…" Hippolyta starts to say as Jackie leans forward and bites her shoulder.

Hippolyta yelps at the action and covers the wound as Jackie stands before her. Suddenly his face becomes very solemn.

"I'm so sorry… Hippolyta I'm so sorry for what I've just done." Jackie said as he fell to the floor.

Hippolyta watched as his pink skin began to turn gray. His hair thinned showing places where decay revealed bits of skull. He raised again his lips drawn from his teeth due to the time spent underground. Hippolyta watched as he became a haggard form of his self.

Jackie almost appeared to say something when his mouth snapped shut and his eyes became vacant and lost. Slowly his eyes moved to her and the look in them was not the boy she had loved. Instead there was a cruelty and desire for destruction. He reached behind him and pulled the weapon he had brought with him. His eyes looked toward the direction of the manor and Hippolyta watched as he raised off of the floor and began to fly toward the door leading into the manor.

"No!" She shouted as he flew past her.

Hippolyta felt pain coming from her shoulder and looked at the place where Jackie had bitten her. Small lines of black began to spread out toward her veins. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she had no choice but to go in and face down Jackie. She couldn't let him harm her family.

(Jameston New York – Grayson house)

Galatea smiled at her granddaughter. Little Hope was helping clear the dishes and singing as Galatea stood at the sink. Suddenly Hope stopped and looked toward the door. Galatea looked as she heard a sound as well and she moved outside to see Mary looking at a being dressed in her dead son in laws speedster costume.

"Johnny? Oh God Johnny!" Mary shouted as she moved toward him.

"No… Mary… Don't…" Johnny said before his mouth snapped shut. His eyes which had returned to him grew empty. Suddenly he took Mary into his arms.

Mary started to say something when she felt Johnny's teeth attempting to touch her skin. He would have succeeded if not for a blast of heat vision knocking him back. Galatea moved toward the revived corpse of her son in law and held her red glowing eyes on him.

"Get out of here right now whatever you are." Galatea said as she studied the corpse.

Johnny stood and the hole in Johnny's stomach caused by Galatea's heat vision rapidly healed before them. He looked at Galatea and began moving faster than she could watch toward her. Galatea tried to catch him but she felt several hard punches in her stomach and then something grabbed her hair and flung her into the wall of her house.

"This is between my wife and I." Johnny said as he turned toward Mary.

(Star City – Canary Cage Gym)

Olivia walked toward the locker room. The councilor she had been seeing the last few weeks had really been helping her deal with everything that had happened. She still had the nightmares, and still had the fears there, but she was learning to cope with it. She pulled the gym shorts and sports bra off she had used to train in and walked to the shower. The feeling of the hot water made her pores sing as she began washing herself clean. The sound of an evil chuckle erupted her calming shower. She looked around and didn't see anyone.

"The Gym is closed. If you want to sign up for fall defensive training then come back tomorrow." She shouted out into the empty locker room.

"I'm not here for defensive training… I've come to see how my patient has done with taming her fears." A sickening voice said.

Olivia felt a clammy chill cover her as she heard his voice. It had been weeks since she had heard him or seen him in a vision. She closed her eyes tight and tried to breath like her councilor had taught her.

"Oh no, no, no child this isn't a dream." The voice said as he moved closer.

Olivia opened her eyes and looked into the mask of the Scarecrow. She moved back away from him as he laughed at her.

"I made the mistake of thinking that you obeyed rules girl. I won't make the same mistake twice." He said as he stretched out his hand and a black gas shot her in the face.

She choked and tried to crawl away from him. The entire room began to change on her. Each shower seemed to turn on and sprayed her, but instead of water it was blood. Black, old, blood drenched every pore of her body.

"NO! YOU'RE DEAD! I KILLED YOU YOU BASTARD!" She screamed as she crawled away from him.

"Yes you did, and I've come to repay you in full." Scarecrow said as he stalked toward her laughing insanely.

(Wayne Manor – Sparring Room)

Hippolyta ran into the room to find Jackie already knocked back against the wall. He stood slowly and gripped his jaw which had been knocked loose. She watched as he readjusted it and looked at the woman who had sent him spiraling into the wall.

"Whatever you are I know that you are not the one my little star cared for." Diana said as she studied the being before her.

The corpse once again attempted to attack her but something yelled from behind it and a strong glowing lasso wrapped around its arms dragging the corpse to the floor. It turned to look the former Wonder Girl for Dark Justice. The ring dislodged itself from his finger and the corpse returned to its original state.

The ring flew from the manor toward Gotham Cemetery. It headed toward a grave which would allow it to get close and cause the Princess to drop her guard. It hit the grave and bounced off of it. The ring once again attempted and it bounced off. Another ring joined it and soon all of the rings attempting to gain access to the resting place of the person of interest left. One singular thought going through the collective minds of the rings.

_Alfred Pennyworth at peace. _Their collective minds stated as the rings left the grave.


	2. Deathwalker

_**Justice League Next Generation 'Dark Days'**_

_**Chapter 2 (Death Walker)**_

"Tears of the prophets have all gone dry  
Behold the noose of Death, fraying away  
Hanging heavily, history's guilt  
The temple, will it be rebuilt?

Eruption of life eternal  
Humanity's tomb stone removed  
Behold the choruses of Creation  
Majestic Son of light, risen DeathWalker" Deathwalker by Fearscape

(Outside of Smallville – Kent's Farm)

Amber Kent smiled as she sat down in a kitchen chair. She had just finished washing the dishes and helped to prepare breakfast for the extended family sharing the old farm house. Her hand softly touched her stomach and she could feel the swell of her pregnant belly. This was going to be their second child. Little Martha Lois Kent was already a handful, and while she looked forward to having another child in the house she did worry about their children developing powers from both of their parents. Chances was that the children's metabolism could be far greater than her own. If that was so then Kal would need to either extend the farm or one of them would have to work outside of the farm to bring in the other needed income for the expenses of the farm.

"Hi Sweetheart." The voice of Kal said as Amber looked up and smiled.

"Hi yourself handsome." Amber said before she stood and kissed her husband gently on the lips.

"Kal… Have you given any thought to what we're going to do about the kids?" She asked hoping that he would start to get an understanding of what she was talking about.

"Given any thought about the kids for what reason?" He asked before the sound of a soft explosion erupted from outside.

Kal turned and looked at the wall before his face paled in horror. He didn't wait for Amber to ask any questions instead he gathered her up in his arms and zoomed upstairs to where his daughter and mother was at. Lois turned to look at Kal as he burst into the room. She started to ask something, but he moved and caught her and little Martha. Somehow he managed to hold on to all three of them and get out of the house before they could ask any questions. Lois looked back to see Clark facing down two people. Her eyes grew wide in terror as she realized that those two figures quickly disappearing in the background were Martha and Jonathan Kent.

(Jameston New York – Grayson house)

Dick had heard the fighting outside and ran out to see his dead son – in – law somehow man or rather womanhandling Galatea. Before another flash of speed could be dealt out by Johnny, Dick quickly reached into his old utility belt and flung out several small marble shaped items. Johnny ran over them and the resulting explosion sent him hurling into a tree. Dick then tossed several robin wings at him and let the devices hold him there.

"If you are my son – in – law then I know that you are stronger than this. You can fight this." Dick said as he neared Johnny.

"No… I can't." Johnny said before he vibrated loose from the tree and grabbed Dick.

Galatea stood and screamed as Johnny bit into Dick's Throat and tore it out causing him to fall to the ground. She rushed forward slamming her fist into Johnny's chest and vibrating it as fast as she could. He could feel what she was doing, and while his body was attempting to match it he didn't fight. For a moment it appeared that the damage done to him would simply be repaired, but Galatea began using her heat vision and soon Johnny's body began to distablize. The ring left his finger and hovered for a moment.

Galatea turned to see the ring floating over Dick. She ran to his side and prepared to destroy the thing before it had a chance of touching him. She blasted it with her heat vision only to watch it harmlessly move through it and the ring found the finger of her husband. She felt his body move under her arm. She watched as his neck healed from the wound he suffered and then his face turned toward her.

"No, baby don't let them do this to you." She pleaded with him as Dick stood.

His expression was vacant and ghost like. He looked toward her and then at Mary. The sound of the door opening behind him caused him to turn and he looked upon his first grandchild. Dick's eyes began to focus and hints of emotion began to show through them before he lifted into the air and took off like a shot.

Galatea watched as Dick disappeared into the skies. She felt the terror and horror inside of herself pour out in each sob and shake of her body. At the moment she wondered that since there was gods, and most likely the Christian God existed as well, then why didn't any of them step in and stop this from happening? Why would they allow the most wonderful man on Earth to die and then return like this?

(Kent Farm)

"You should stop fighting this Clark." Jonathan Kent said as he neared his son.

"You're not my pa." Clark said with venom in his voice.

"Of course I am. The reason I'm back is because you had died before I had a chance to tell you a few things. I never got to tell you how proud I was of you, and I never had the chance to tell you happy I was that you did so well. It left an impression son. You caused a big enough hole when you 'died' that it let me come back. We can be a family again. We can be together like we once was. Think about that Clark." Jonathan said as he tried to move forward only to knocked but by Clark's super breath.

"If you won't join us Clark then I'm sure that our grandson will." Martha Kent said as she looked at her son.

"Leave Kal alone." Clark stated.

Outside Clark appeared to be calm and collective, but inside he was being torn apart. He hated this. The two best people in the world was being used by a force beyond his control and it killed him to see them like this. He wanted to save them, but the rings that was controlling them seemed as if they wouldn't allow them to be reasoned with. Even though he knew that his real parents wasn't inside of those bodies it didn't make what he was going to have to do any easier.

(Wayne Manor – medical room)

Hippolyta groaned in pain as her father ran tests on her. The black lines in her veins had slowly spread to her entire left side and her face. Everywhere it spread she began turning a sickening gray. And now there was a Lantern insignia glowing under her clothes. She could feel hundreds and thousands of voices talking to her at once. Everywhere she turned it seemed worse and worse until a little body walked into the room.

Hippolyta suddenly relaxed as Thana walked toward her. The little quarter Thanagarian, Amazon, and half human looked at her aunt and softly touched her arm. The girl pulled back and looked at Hippolyta in a confused and uncertain way.

"Papa what's wrong with auntie Lyta?" Thana asked.

"She was attacked little one." Bruce said as he watched the girl.

The idea of who Thana really was crossed Bruce's mind. He knew that it could be a long shot, but considering what happened there seemed little other choice. He activated his communicator and contacted Dr. Fate and Zatanna. Within moments they appeared and he looked at them. He began explaining what happened and then he explained what Diana had told him about their granddaughter. Dr. Fate listened for several moments before he finally nodded and looked at the girl.

"We can contact Thanatos, and I'm fairly certain that she will help us; however, I'm not sure if it change your granddaughter." Fate said.

"It shouldn't." Zatanna said as she knelt down in front of Thana.

"She has her own soul. The goddess may have been born into the body, but a separate soul was created. Thana will always be Thana. She just may have to be this as well." Zatanna said softly as she gently petted Thana's head.

"Hey! I just brushed that!" Thana complained.

(Outside of Wayne Manor)

Dick looked at the place he had lived so long ago. The ring was commanding that he go inside and find Diana. It commanded him to confront her, change her, and bring her powers to their side. He groaned as he moved forward. He wanted to fight this. He didn't want to be a slave to something else, but the draw and need for the feelings of despair was too great. The entire manor seemed to feed the ring as he moved. Each inch of it was covered in despair even though it was old it had lingered and thickened over the years.


	3. Don't Fear the Reaper

_**Justice League Next Generation 'Dark Days'**_

_**Chapter 3 (Don't Fear the Reaper)**_

"All our times have come

Here but now they're gone

Seasons don't fear the reaper

Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain

We can be like they are" Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

(Wayne Manor – Diana's private chapel.)

Thana felt her eyes growing tired and softly drifted off to sleep. As the little girl began to sleep something caused her body to move gently. She stood slowly and her eyes opened to show a pair crimson eyes looking back at them. The tiny body slowly took a seat and flexed the wings behind her.

"I take it that there has been something happening with the natural order of things otherwise I would never have been contacted." Thanatos said as she looked at Dr. Fate and Zatanna.

"Thanatos goddess of death there is something strange plaguing the world. A group of lanterns we have never seen before have appeared and from what we understand they are able to raise and control the dead." Dr. Fate said as he looked at her.

"The rings are they black?" Thanatos asked.

"They are." Zatanna answered.

"Nekron… I knew that turning him into a reaper would be a mistake." Thanatos said as she gently rubbed her chin.

"Nekron?" Zatanna asked.

"Dear child did it ever occur to you that even gods and goddesses need to have subjects to help carry out our orders? For me it's the reapers. I command them sending each of them into the world to collect souls for me. Once they are collected I take the souls to the underworld and let Hades sort them out." Thanatos said.

"How are the reapers connected to the Black Lanterns?" Zatanna asked.

"Nekron believed that he should be the embodiment of death. He attempted to rise against me, and I sealed him away. He came back later after he gained an understanding of how the guardians' lantern generator worked. He created the Black Lantern Generator and implanted himself into it. He feeds off of each and every death the Black Lanterns cause. The stronger the enemy they kill or turn the more he is fed." Thanatos said as she looked at the door to the chapel.

"She will need to be contained." Thanatos stated.

"What?" Dr. Fate asked.

"The one that was bitten will need to be contained. She will be turned and brought to their side. When it happens only something pure will save her. There is very little on this earth that is truly pure." Thanatos stated.

"How can we find Nekron?" Zatanna asked.

Thanatos looked at them she rolled her eyes before she walked purposefully over the insense table and took a now burned out stick of insense out and grabbed a small piece of paper. She began writing on the paper and when she finished she handed it to Zatanna.

"This is where my reapers for Gotham City meet before going to work. Each morning my second in command delivers the list of names to the eldest of them. From that point on they go to work and mark the souls that are to be delivered. I suggest that you speak to the reapers in charge of collecting souls who die of external trama. They are going to be the ones most closely tied to this, and even if they don't know who Nekron is they will be able to sense where he is." Thanatos stated as she yawned.

She looked at the seat she was perched on before and once again climbed back into it. Her eyes began to get heavy.

"Do not tell Thana of me. She will know that I exist inside of her, but I do not want to return to being a goddess until she is ready to pass over." Thanatos said before she closed her eyes and a few moments later Thana awoke.

"What happened?" Thana asked.

"Nothing kiddo. We just talked to a goddess for a few minutes." Zatanna said.

"Oh, like Nana does." Thana said as she got up.

"Exactly." Dr. Fate said as he walked out with Zatanna. The both of them neared Bruce and Diana.

"We have a way of tracking the source and we have been given a name. Bruce… Thanatos said that we should isolate Hippolyta. She said that there is a chance that she could be contacted by the source of the Black Lanterns and forced to serve him." Zatanna said as she looked at the now sleeping daughter of Diana and Bruce.

"I won't isolate her until I know for certain." Bruce stated.

"Bruce… You've always, always thought with your head. You've never let yourself do anything based on emotion, please don't do it now. We need you to step outside of this." Zatanna stated.

"She's my daughter. I can't step outside of this and lock her away." Bruce said as he looked at both Zatanna and Dr. Fate.

(Outside of the Manor)

Dick felt something inside of him calling. He stretched out his hand and the ring began to call to another. HE could feel the power of it demanding to be listened to. Slowly it began to connect him to the other inside of the manor. His lifeless silver eyes flickered as he saw through the eyes of the one trapped inside of the manor.

(In the medical room.)

Hippolyta groaned as she felt something tingle over her. Her eyes had slowly been turning from their stormy blue color to a dull silver. She could feel something crawl inside of her head. It demanded to see, to be part of her. She tried to fight, but it was too strong. Slowly she raised as she heard a single word.

_Rise_ the voice said to her and her alone.

She stood and when she did a black ring formed on her finger. She ran toward the window and jumped out of it. There was a new feeling inside of her. It was something that demanded battle, it craved destruction. A deep battle cry escaped her lips and she charged toward the city.

(Metropolis)

Lara looked as several beings appeared. The first among them walked toward her. She looked at his small stature and a terrible dread rippled down her spine.

"Andrew?" She asked.

"Lara… I let you go. I helped you escape Diggler and the compound, but you need to come with me now. I know how you felt, and I believe you still feel it." He said as he neared her.

"No, you're dead. Andrew Thompson has been dead for years, and whatever you are it is wrong to use his form like this." Lara growled.

(Star City - Canary Cage Gym)

Even feeling the fear pour down on her somehow Olivia managed to get outside of the garage. The feeling of the fear gas pressed against her mind causing the worst of what she had faced before to return to her. She knew that somewhere in this Scarecrow was laughing. Something had returned the deranged mad man back to life, and now he was wanting to get vengeance for what had happened to him.

_Please, please God help me… _Olivia thought as she tried to keep from losing her mind.

Two hand wrapped around her waist. She screamed and tried to tear away, but no sooner had the arms wrapped around her than a bright blue light surrounded her and the sound of chirping soon followed. Olivia fell to the ground and felt the tremors over take her from the shire strength of the fear gas. She turned around to see a green woman with red hair looking back at her.

"Get her to the medical bay now. I'll contact Arrow and Canary." M'ire said as she watched the techs lift Olivia and carry her off.

(Gotham – Sewer system)

Croc groaned as he looked at the two beings before him. Unlike the other original members of the rogue gallery Croc was still more than strong enough to continue to causing havoc on the outer world, but at the moment he was crawling backward attempting to stay away from two gray skinned beings that had been man handling him for the last few minutes.

"Come on Croc… Where is that sense of defiance?" The man asked as he slammed his fist into the criminal's side knocking him into a wall.

"I know that voice… Yeah you're Nightwing… The original Nightwing that helped out the bat." He said as he dug his fingers into the muck and let loose with it attempting to blind the former hero.

"I don't think so." Hippolyta said as she thrust her hand forward into his chest.

Croc groaned as he felt something rip away and then looked to see the dark being holding a heart. She laughed and licked a trail of blood from it. Smiling at him she watched as a Black Ring floated down to him and attached itself. For a moment nothing happened, but then slowly he stood and let out a laugh.

"Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock time to feed the Croc!" He shouted into the tunnel.


	4. Hello Darkness my Old Friend

_**Justice League Next Generation 'Dark Days'**_

_**Chapter 4 (Hello Darkness my old Friend)**_

"_**Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again,**_

_**Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping,**_

_**And the vision that was planted in my brain,**_

_**Still remains, within the sound of silence."**_ Hello Darkness my old Friend by Simon and Garfunkel

(International House of Pancakes – Gotham – The Narrows – Three hours later)

Diana looked at the six people sitting at a table all eating pancakes and bacon. One of them looked toward her when she muttered the name Thanatos. The one that looked at her had two women sitting next to him to scoot over so that he could scoot out. She looked at a middle aged man dressed in a pair of black slacks, white shirt, black tie, and a pair of black loafers. He motioned for her to follow him and together the two of them walked toward a table near the deserted section of the International House of Pancakes.

"For you to know the name of the highest member of our business then I assume that you are here on some sort of business." He said.

"In a way… I need to speak to you about Nekron." Diana said.

The mention of that name caused the man's face to pale. He looked toward the others seated still talking each other before he turned back to Diana.

"What does the dark reaper has to do with this?" He asked.

"Dark reaper?" Diana asked.

"It was the name that Nekron earned for himself when he went rogue. He believed that death shouldn't be separated from the living. In fact he worked toward undoing all that Thanatos had done. She showed infinite patience toward him, but in the end she had to strip him of his powers. I heard that he finally got himself sealed into a generator of sorts." The man said.

"He is here on Earth and he is unleashing a terror I cannot even begin to describe." Diana said.

"Then his prophets was telling the truth. The time of the great harvest has come. Damn it... I thought that there would be more time. No one is ready for this. Everyone at that table is less than a hundred years old. Shit, I'm the only one here from Ancient Greece." He said as he put his head into his hands.

"Ancient Greece?" Diana asked.

"I was a Dorian soldier, and I was killed by a very angry Amazon. Before I died my soul was collected and I was 'cursed' to walk the earth collecting souls until I met my quota." He said.

The fact of who the man actually was sent a wave of anger through Diana. This man had been on the island when her mother was raped. He had partaken in the act and undoubtfully stole the innocence from some of her sisters.

"You… You…" Diana began.

The man watched her and his eyes widened as he realized who and what she was. He shook his head and looked toward the ground.

"It doesn't matter much after so long, but I'm sorry. I truly am sorry for what I and my brothers in arms did on that day. It doesn't make a difference, but unlike the other reapers I am cursed. Thanatos daughter of Hades said that I would be a reaper until the very end of the world. I've watched my sons and daughters grow old and die. I watched their children, and their children's children age and wither away. Each year I realize that I will always be. I will be the one who marks someone for a death they don't deserve because of the curse that I do deserve." He said.

"I should take you to my mother." Diana said as she gritted her teeth.

"Your mother?" he asked.

"Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and she would not be very forgiving." Diana stated coldly.

"No, I suspect that she wouldn't be. Your father… was he He…"He began to say before Diana clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Don't ever use that foul name around me. Heracles was a rapist, a brute, and a bully. What has happened to him is well deserved, but no, he was not my father. I was formed of Clay, and the closest thing to a father I supposedly have is Hades himself." Diana stated.

"It stands to reason… You look like Thanatos and Persephone. Actually you favor Thanatos more than the Queen of the underworld. I cannot make up for what I put your mother through, but I will do all I can to help you with this Crisis. You didn't ask for it and most likely don't want it, but my name is Dōrieis." Dōrieis said.

"I don't want it because it leaves a foul taste in my mouth; however, I need any information you have on this Dark Reaper, and I need to know how to stop him." Diana began.

(Watchtower – Medical Bay)

M'ire looked at Olivia as the girl cried in her sleep. She could feel the fear, pain, anger, and suffering pouring off of the girl. Even though she felt a little jealously toward Olivia for being so close to Hermes she wanted to give her some peace. Reaching forward M'ire touched Olivia's head and felt a flood of emotions rush into her. The half breed martian screamed as she fell to the knees. The images of Scarecrow flooded her vision and she tried to push them out.

"No child… I won't leave you now… See I infected her, and you… You simple little creature, I have infected you as well. Welcome to the Black Lantern corp." He said with a sadistic voice.

M'ire looked at her arms and black veins began to pop up. She tried to force the dark force inside of her out, but it refused.

_Hermes… Please forgive me…"_ M'ire said as she looked toward the heavens and screamed. Suddenly her yellow eyes became glossy black and she stood. A ring formed on her finger, and she looked down at Olivia to see one on hers as well.

"_The Blackest Night falls from the skies The darkness grows as all light dies, We crave your hearts and your demise, By my black hand-The dead shall rise!_" Both Olivia and M'ire said at the same time.

M'ire walked toward the door of the medical lab and struck it as hard as she could. The force of the punch caused the door to buckle. Olivia smirked as she released her 'Canary' song and blew the door the rest of the way off. The two of them began to walk through the halls. The moment they saw Victoria, Olivia smiled. She ran toward her friend and sunk her teeth into Victoria's shoulder. The daughter of Question and Huntress screamed and backed away from Olivia.

"You're going to be one of us, and think of it… you can finally have an excuse to be with Rex once you kill him." Olivia said as she looked at Victoria with dead silver eyes.

Victoria slammed her fist against the com system.

"Lock down all halls connected to the medical unit and teleport all injured leaguers straight to the Metrotower! We have a Omega level security breech!" Victoria shouted as the blast doors started to come down.

"That's not going to hold us." M'ire said.

"No, but add me to the mix and I promise it will hold you long enough." Victoria said as she brought her Crossbow up.

(Gotham - Narrows)

Croc laughed as he mercilessly killed everyone in his way. Already he had began attacking everyone that neared him. He looked at the hero in his hands. The man was dressed as a different version of Robin. The look was sleeker, slightly edger, but it only came down to the fact that he was still Robin. Croc heard the sound of someone screaming in the background and turned around to see an angry Kryptonian slam her fist into his chest knocking him back.

"Tim are you alright." She whispered silently to the wounded man.

"K… Kara… I… I can't feel my legs." Tim said.

She looked at the man below her. She had came back after Clark had died and before he came back to life. For the most part she stayed out of the league since Galatea was there. Even though she didn't really agree with them adding her 'sister' to the roster she had to admit that Galatea had been doing fantastic work. So she helped Zor-Zul or Superboy as he called himself and the new Teen Titans most of the time. Well she and Tim helped them. She reached down behind him and felt blood pooling up.

"I don't think that it's too bad… It doesn't… It doesn't even hurt anymore…" Tim said as his eyes closed.

"No… Tim please no…" Kara asked as she touched his cheek.

The red stain left by his blood caused her vision to blur. She looked toward the monster laughing and stood.

"You… YOU BASTARD!" Kara shouted as she unleashed her heat vision at the highest amount of power she had ever poured into it.

Not far from Croc Hippolyta and Dick watched as the newest Black Lantern began to be destroyed from the shire amount of power radiating from Kara's heat blast.

Dick looked toward Tim and smiled as he rushed toward his little 'brother'. He sunk his teeth into Tim's shoulder and watched as the veins began to turn black on him. Within seconds Tim's eyes opened revealing a dead silver. He felt his body healing from his injuries and he stood.

"Kara…" Tim said


	5. Angel

_**Justice League Next Generation Dark Days**_

_**Chapter 5 'Angel' **_

"_**In the arms of the Angel far away from here  
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie  
In the arms of the Angel; may you find some comfort here**_Sarah McLachlan

You're in the arms of the Angel; may you find some comfort here"

(Gotham – Narrows – Near where Tim fell to Croc)

Bruce looked on the situation as he arrived. Diana was meeting with the reapers that Thanatos had informed Dr. Fate and Zatanna about. He activated his com link and put out the distress signal that would be picked up as soon as possible. There was no doubt that before help came he could die, but he couldn't let Kara die. He couldn't give Tim the chance to do anything he would regret once this was over. He swung down and realized how much his sons acted like himself. The moment they had let Galatea and Kara into their lives they never turned back. They didn't question, and they did everything in their power to protect them even though Tim, Dick, and himself was just mortal they each had the drive to protect their wives who was so much more powerful from the world.

"Tim…" Kara said as she looked at her husband walking toward her.

Without a moment's notice Bruce used the grappling line to pull Kara out of the reach of Tim.

"Get out of here now!" He barked the order when she came near him.

"Tim…" She began.

"He might be in there, but he can't stop what he's doing. Leave before he does something both of you will regret." Bruce said as he looked toward the three black lanterns.

Kara looked toward her husband and realized that Bruce was right. If she stayed Tim would turn her. There was no question of that, but she hated to leave. To be honest she couldn't leave Tim there like this.

"I… I can't." Kara said.

"Metrotower lock on to Supergirl and teleport her out now." Bruce said.

Before Kara could argue she was gone in a flash of blue light. Bruce looked back toward the three black lanterns circling him.

"You're out numbered old man." Tim said with a smirk.

"And you're out classed Tim. Don't forget that I trained both you and Dick. I even trained you Hippolyta." Bruce said.

He could see his daughter's hesitation to come near him. He knew it wasn't fear, but that she was fighting the ring. He turned back toward Tim and Dick to see that Dick had disappeared. His eyes began searching for his eldest son and suddenly a horrible feeling something ripping apart the muscle, bone, tendons, out of his back and through his chest began to tear through him. He opened his mouth and felt the thickness of Blood welling there as his heart came through the front of his chest.

"Welcome to the family." Dick whispered.

(Kent Farm)

Clark looked at the bodies of the two people that had raised him. He loved both his mother and father dearly, and now Jonathan and Martha Kent had been laid to rest once more. It had almost killed him to do this to them. He had been forced to find a way to sever the rings from their bodies and the only way he could was to cut the rings off. Of course then the rings attempted to graph to him, but somehow he managed to elude them long enough that they must have went somewhere else.

"Ma, Pa… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for this." He said softly as he lifted their bodies and walked toward the small cemetery they had added onto the farm for family.

He placed their bodies back to the graves that once held them and looked up into the night sky. Something had happened to bring this madness on the world. He knew a place where he might find answers and began to head toward Gotham.

(Metro Tower)

Galatea found herself reverting back to training both from Dick and CADMUS as she tried to deal with the situation. She hated feeling like this. Dick was gone. He had been her ancor, her rock and he was gone. Those bastards had turned him into one of them and she wanted vengeance for it. She felt her eyes tearing up again as her 'sister' formed on the teleporter.

"What happened?" Galatea asked.

"Tim… God they… Bruce called for the teleportation." Kara said still trying to come to grips with what had happened.

"Juggernaught and Hawkgirl are on their way out now." Galatea said.

"Tea… Tea it's bad. I…" Kara said as her eyes began to well up with tears.

Everyone knew Galatea's and Kara's history. Everyone there knew how much the two 'sisters' disliked each other, and for that reason everyone was surprised when Galatea pulled Kara into a tight hug. Kara's knees went weak and she began to wail in sorrow, grief, pain, anger, and every spectrum of every emotion.

(Arkham Asylum – Lower Levels)

Kevin looked at his prison and looked as he heard something. He turned to see a red ring pushing its way toward where he was. Within moments the ring pushed toward him. He felt the rage from his imprisonment, rage toward the son of that Kryptonian bitch for beating him, rage toward Stacy and M'ire for turning their backs on him, and finally rage for himself for letting all of this happen. All of that rage called to the ring causing it to latch onto his finger. He felt the depths of his hate, depths of his rage as it coursed through him. The ring began to form words in his mind that he repeated.

"_With blood and rage of crimson red, Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead,Together with our hellish hate, We'll burn you all-That is your fate!_" He repeated the words.

His hand raised and the power from the ring lashed out destroying the energy cell that trapped him. He smirked as the cell's power fell. Walking out he aimed the ring toward the ceiling and fired. Within seconds a hole formed before him. He lifted out of the hole and felt the rage around him fuel his power.

(Gotham – Narrows)

Dick viewed the body of the man who had been his mentor and became his father. Bruce didn't rise as a Black Lantern and that in itself was strange. The rings wouldn't get near him. The ring seemed to produce a picture of Thomas' daughter. Dick looked to Tim and Hippolyta and could see that they too had the same image appear to them. With no reason to remain in this location the three of them began to move toward other targets.

(A few moments after Dick, Tim, and Hippolyta left)

Kiva landed and looked at her father – in – law. She heard Thomas as he walked up behind her. She could almost feel the gasp as her beloved neared his fallen father. Gently Thomas knelt down and gathered his father into his arms.

"Thomas…" Kiva began before his shook his head.

"I'm taking him home." Thomas said as he stood.

Kiva nodded and she stood next to her husband and began putting in their code for teleportation to the Batcave. A bright blue light covered them and in seconds they appeared on the teleportation pad inside of the cave. Kiva watched as her husband walked forward cradling his father. Gently he laid his father on the hospital bed in the cave.

"I… I need to call Athena and mom." Thomas said as he stood up.

Kiva knew what was happening. He was trying to distance himself from the situation. In moments he touched the communicator and waited for the line to open.

"Mom… come home. Trust me you need to come home now." Thomas said before he closed the channel and contacted Athena.

The moments passed and soon Diana appeared in the cave.

"I found some information on what's going on, but what happened Thomas? Why did I… Bruce…. BRUCE!" Diana screamed as she ran forward.

She reached out and touched the face of the man that was the father of their children, that had finally opened up to her, and that had allowed her to experience all it was to love someone so completely.

"No, no, no, no…" She chanted as she touched his face.

She felt the presence of others in the room, but she didn't hear them. She couldn't tell who was there or why. Instead she held the body of the man she loved. She knew that he was gone, his body had been growing steadily colder. It wasn't until she heard his voice in the background that she turned. On the screen of the supercomputer she saw Tim, Dick, and Hippolyta as Black Lanterns. She had seen Kara disappear into a flash of light and seconds later she watched as Bruce saw his own heart come out through his chest.

"Welcome to the family." Dick had whispered into his ear.

Rage overtook her as she looked at the screen before her. Athena who had arrived a moment after Diana watched as her mother screamed a battle cry and flew out through the hanger doors. She looked at Thomas and both of them knew that whoever stood in their mother's way would pay for it with their lives.

(The Grand Canyon – unknown cave – two hours later)

Normally being here, standing in this place would have brought a sense of peace and wonder to Diana. Bruce had brought them here to this cave on their first anniversary. It seemed strange at the time, but Diana had to admit that the sight from the cave allowed for the best view of the canyon day or night. It also gave the most wonderful view of the open sky at night showing off the billions and billions of stars. But at the moment Diana didn't feel peace or wonder. Instead she felt anger and rage. She hated the canyon. She hated the fact that it was peaceful and beautiful. The walls of the cliffs should be crumbling, the very foundation of the earth should be shaking to its core. She thought of the world, the universe and questioned what right it had to exist. It was as if the entire world didn't realize that the most important person in her life, the most important person to live has far as she was concerned had been taken from them.

_It's not right! Nothings right! Everything is never going to be right! I want… I want to tear it all down! Every last stone, everything! _She thought as she fumed.

Her sense of hate, the intense amount of anger that poured from her seemed to radiate out. She reached out with her hand and grabbed a stone. Without a second thought she pictured the stone being Dick's head and squeezed. She could feel the blood, fragments of skull, pieces of gray matter all slipping through her fingers. The feeling was so satifisying that she grabbed another and pictured Tim's head. Again she did the same and she almost chuckled at the dark pleasure. Her hand shot out and she thought of her daughter. For a moment she hesitated, but then it wasn't her daughter anymore. She crushed the stone and let a triumph roar of laughter escape her lips. Her head turned quickly as the sounds of something landing got her attention.

_Be them, be any of them._ She thought as she stepped forward and saw a man she had expected never to see free again.

"What do you want?" Diana asked the former 'hero' named Maximum from Dark Justice.

"I feel your hate, tell me those things you pictured, the killing of your adopted sons, the death of your birth daughter, the need to destroy all that surrounds you did you mean it?" Kevin asks.

"Why do you want to know?" Diana spat the question at him.

"Because… I can give it to you." Kevin said as he stretched out his hand and offered her a red power ring.

Diana took the ring and felt it graph itself to her finger. The drums of Ares roared in her ears as she felt her hate, anger, and wrath escalate to new hights. Her blood began to feel as if it was on fire. Her armor changed. Like Maximum it became completely red, and a symbol appeared on her chest. She spat at a rock and she watched as it melted from the blood that touched it. Her eyes narrowed as pictures of those that had taken Bruce's life came to her mind. She would hunt them down and find this 'Dark Reaper' that unleashed them upon the Earth. Once that was finished she would come back here and take this place apart piece by piece.


	6. St Anger

_**Justice League Next Generation Dark Days**_

_**Chapter 6 'Saint Anger' **_

"_**I feel my world shake  
Like an earthquake  
Hard to see clear  
Is it me? Is it fear?**_

I'm madly in anger with you  
I'm madly in anger with you  
I'm madly in anger with you  
I'm madly in anger with you" Metallica

(Watchtower – Sealed off medical area)

The pain ripping through Victoria wasn't slowing down any. She could feel the 'poison' for lack of a better word burning through her attempting to find her heart. Each movement was getting harder. So far she had seen the reason why Olivia had been nominated at least twice to be the head speaker for the reserve Leaguers, or at least she had been before she took the life of Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow. Victoria jumped back as Olivia launched a sonic scream and nearly caught her in it.

"This game is boring." M'ire said before she became intangible and moved down into the floor.

Victoria looked around for a moment and then screamed as she felt a hand inside of her. M'ire reappeared and looked into the eyes of the daughter of both Question and Huntress.

"It's so much easier if you don't fight." M'ire said in a hushed voice.

"Go… go to hell." Victoria spat the words.

Victoria looked into M'ire's eyes. She wanted M'ire to see this. She wanted her to know what she was doing, and that she would fight becoming what they were. By God… She would show them what it was to mess with the second generation Huntress.

"Join us." Olivia said as she neared Victoria.

"I'll see you both in hell." Victoria said as she pulled back.

M'ire never let go and instead watched as Victoria allowed herself to be mortally wounded. There would be no escape from death and becoming one of them that much faster. M'ire smirked until she saw the large window that hadn't sealed off yet. Victoria turned toward it and fired a single dart. She knew the places where the dart would strike and cause cracking in the windows. Add to the fact that her darts tips had been made from a Wayne corp compound seven times stronger than normal titanium, and the window began to crack. Within seconds the cracks spread all over it and Victoria smirked at them both.

"Like I said… I'll see you both in hell." She said before the window burst out and sucked the three of them into the void of space before the shutter was able to come down.

(Metropolis – Hobbs Bay)

Lara groaned as she stood and looked at the Black Lanterns standing before her. She had been managing to hold them off until Hippolyta used some of the tactics that her father had taught her. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before they came in for the kill. She didn't want to be like them, to be forced into killing without regard. A sound from behind her got her attention and she looked to see Superboy or Superkid as he called himself land near her.

"I got the distress signal and came as fast as possible. I brought some help." Zor said as he motioned behind him.

She looked past her sandy blond headed son to see the girl who had been Dark Justices version of Wonder Woman, Ali Kazam the daughter of Circe and Zeus, and Marvel Boy the son of Captain Marvel and Stargirl. She looked again at Ali Kazam and hoped that the girl wouldn't turn on them. She had so much of her mother in her that it was really hard to tell which side she played on most of the time.

"Hippolyta… Don't do this." Donna said as she looked at Diana's daughter.

"We are what we are." Hippolyta answered before she began to rush forward.

The group began to fight with the black Lanterns and even though they were outnumbered the Black Lanterns proved to be more than a handful. A pair of dark eyes watched them from the distance. He studied those fighting with his 'children' and began to think of the ones most suited to become lanterns. Of course the Kryptonians deserved to be in their league, and so did the new Amazon. The mystic needed to be destroyed. She could use her magic to slow them, hurt them.

"Turn them." He said knowing that his children heard his command.

He watched as Hippolyta began to wrestle with the other Amazon.

"This isn't you Hippolyta!" Donna shouted as she tried to restrain the girl.

"It is now." Hippolyta said as she tried to bite Donna.

Superkid blocked the first blow meant for his mother. He threw one black Lantern back only to have the other one jump on his back. He tried to slam into the wall behind him to get the Lantern to dislodge from him, but the feeling of teeth on his shoulder caused him to panic.

"GET OFF!" He shouted as he finally knocked the Lantern away.

He touched the place where he felt teeth and his fingers came back with blood.

"One of us." Timothy said as he smirked.

Ali Kazam held her hands out and chanted in Latin for a moment. Dick turned to her and faced a fireball. The magical flame knocked him against the wall and caused the Black Lantern to scream in pain.

"Fire from the pits of Tartarus. Mom always said learn your strengths, and she taught me all of hers." Ali said with a smirk.

"Not all of them where learned child." Another voice said.

She turned to see a strange looking man standing behind her. He raised his hand and a blast of black gas hit her in the face.

"No, NO, NOOOOO!" Ali screamed as the battle changed.

She was no longer fighting alongside of titans. Instead she was back in Control Freak's playhouse. Her eyes widened as the man neared her with the bare electrical cords. His sick laugh rang through her head as she screamed in terror, pain, and anger. She felt his hands move down the burned and bruised skin he had been slowly turning into a 'road map of pain' for the last three days.

"Scream for me again. I told you that I control everything. It's all part of my world girl. Your magic is useless here." He said as he touched the bare wire to her breast and brought a terrified scream from her again.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed loudly and suddenly a huge rush of magical energy shot out in front of her.

Scarecrow watched as Superwoman, Superboy or Kid, Wonder Girl, Marvel Boy, Hippolyta, Timothy, and Dick was all instantly transported to different places all over the world. The girl collapsed and he smirked down at her.

"Yes, face your fears and then become one of us. I thought destroying you would be better, but no… You have so much power little one, and I have much bigger plans for you." Scarecrow said.

(Sixty miles away from the Grand Canyon.)

Lara looked around her trying to figure out where she was. She looked ahead to see a confused Black Lantern. Knowing there was no time to stop she rushed forward and caught the Black Lantern with a powerful right hook. The power of the punch knocked Dick's head from his shoulders.

Lara stepped toward the headless body only to feel its hand stretch out and catch her ankle. She jumped back and turned to see Dick's head laying on the ground. Her eyes narrowed and she prepared to kick his head far away from his body when his voice stopped her for a moment.

"Lara, Lara wait for a minute! We need to calm down, or I do at least. After all I've seem to totally lost my head!" Dick exclaimed.

The sound of something flying toward them at a high rate of speed caused Lara to turn around. No sooner did she then she received a punch to the face. The impact of the punch sent her flying until someone grabbed her ankle and then threw her hard into the ground.

"Oh I have missed being outside!" Maximum shouted as he laughed.

"You!" Lara exclaimed as she slowly stood.

"Yes, me, and now I see three things happening. The first is that Wonder Woman is going to get the vengeance she wants. The second is that I'm going to get to take you apart you stuck up Kryptonian bitch." Maximum said as his eyes narrowed and he flew straight toward Lara.

(Near Dick's body)

Dick felt his hands touch the side of his head as his body lifted him back up and placed his head in the right place. Almost instantly his head and body joined together. A slight groan later he looked around and saw something closing in toward him. A laugh escaped his lips as he saw Diana coming for him.

Diana felt her blood boil as she neared Dick. She wanted his head on a pike for what he did to Bruce. She swooped down and slammed hard into him. The very force of her impact cause all of his ribs to break at the same time; however, thanks to the power of the Black Lantern ring he healed instantly.

""What's eating you Di? I would ask what was eating Bruce, but then I already know." Dick said with a smile.

A low growl escaped Diana's lips and she leapt toward Dick. He moved back just in time to escape her grasp, but he didn't escape the blood that spewed from her mouth. It hit his arm and ate through the muscle before it could regenerate.

"Well.. That's new." Dick said.

(Astral Plane – Gotham – Narrows)

Bruce stood and for the first time he was uncertain of what was going on. He never believed in an afterlife. To be completely honest he always believed that when you die you die. Seeing this now he was uncertain and his logical mind began to go over everything Diana had ever told him about her gods. It seemed reasonable that if their afterlife existed then perhaps it existed for everything. Having some understanding he began to walk until a form appeared to him.

"Hello grandfather." The form said as she became solid.

"Thana?" he asked.

The woman that stood there was easily six foot tall. She had long black hair, a set of Golden wings on her back, and looked remarkablily like Diana.

"Yes. The form Diana saw me in was the one that John Constantine had seen me in several times. I had to appear like that to her since Zatanna was on the watchtower and Zatanna had seen me in the other form before. I however wanted to appear in my true for to you." She stated.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"You've died, but that is not the worst of it. Grandmother… Diana has been seduced by her anger. Her 'gift' from Ares, if you want to call it a gift, is a bezerker rage and bloodlust when angered beyond rational thought. Seeing your body… Learning what happened to you unleashed that in her. The Red Lanterns, the very essence of Rage has made her one of their own. So now we have two problems. The first is stopping the creation of my wayward reaper, and the second is getting her back." Thanatos said.

"How can we do that?" Bruce asked.

"We can't. I can do nothing to calm her down. None of her children will be able to do so, but I believe that the love inside of her for you may help. It is for that reason that I'm going to break a rule of the gods. We are allowed to interfere with mortals directly… although uncle Zeus does all of the time…" She said.

"How are you going to be interfering?" Bruce asked.

"There is an Ancient that is the keeper of a power ring. Unlike the others it is far different because is holds the power of creation, the very power of life. That ring has the ability to bring you back to life and to possibly stop this 'infection' before it spreads any further. Of course will have to visit Dionysus since I'm not able to contact him directly." Thanatos stated.

"Dionysus… The god of wine? What does the god of wine have to do with this?" Bruce asked.

"This pectular ancient… Drinks… quite a lot as well as other things… believe me it would be best to contact Dionysus to find him. After all Dionysus basically knows this Ancient's every move." Thanatos said before she held on to Bruce and they disappeared.

(Utah – Sixty miles from The Grand Canyon)

Dick knew that he couldn't keep outrunning Diana. A direct fight lead to her almost destroying him, and there was little chance of keeping from doing so now. He stopped when everything became silent. His eyes moved from side to side until he felt two hands at the side of his head. A battle cry came from behind him and he felt his head ripped from his body. Unlike with Lara something different happened. Intense pressure formed on the sides of his head and then suddenly everything stopped.

Dick looked at the situation from outside of his body. His soul was no longer connected to the power ring and he watched as Diana stood over his corpse. She was different. She didn't seem like the woman he was proud to address as his mother. Instead she looked like a feral animal. Her eyes seemed lost in a boundless rage.

"Di… God I'm sorry." He said as he stood there.


	7. Burning

_**Justice League Next Generation Dark Days**_

_**Chapter 7 'Burning'**_

"_**Time is the essence  
Time is the season  
Time ain't no reason  
Got no time to slow**_

Time everlasting  
Time to play besides  
Time ain't on my side  
Time I'll never know

_**Burn out the day  
Burn out the night  
I can't see no reason to put up a fight  
I'm living for giving the devil his due" **_Blue Oyster Cult

(Fortress of Solitude)

Amber felt the baby inside of her kicking up a storm and groaned a little bit. It wasn't that she didn't like being here with Kal, but the fortress was so different. Everything was so cold and so sterile. She missed the farm. The dirt, the old counter top with its nicks and dings, and she missed the way the entire house smelled like fresh brewed coffee when a pot was put on. She started to walk toward Kal when a flash of white light filled the fortress and Marvel Boy, Donna, and Hippolyta appeared.

"Oh my GOD!" Amber shouted.

Her voice brought Kal from the area he had been in straight to her. He looked at Hippolyta who was studying the area and could see the fight going on behind her eyes. He looked at the area surrounding them and realized that this was the botanical garden area his father had created. He looked to his left and saw the Black Mercy. The stories of what the plant had caused his father to see had been told time and time again, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He hurled the plant and unknowingly he had allowed one of Diana's Patron goddesses the chance to bring Hippolyta out of her state.

"Look out!" Kal shouted as the Black Mercy made its way toward Hippolyta. She raised her hand and caught the plant.

She held it for a moment before crushing it in her hand. A purple ooze leaked through the dying plant as she threw it on the ground.

"You know what sounds delicious right now? Stuffed ginger." She said with a sadistic smile.

Kal tried to move to intercept her, but she threw the battle axe she had impaling him in the chest. His eyes grew wide as he fell to his knees. She moved close to him and ripped the axe from his chest licking the blood from it.

"You taste so good… I wonder what parts of you would have tasted like… Oh well to late now." She said before the axe removed his head.

"KAL NO!" Amber screamed.

"I won't let this go on any longer!" Donna screamed as she ran behind Hippolyta.

The half Amazon turned and caught Donna by the neck. She lifted the Amazon by science into the air and watched as she vainly tried to escape her grasp. Donna clawed at her arm, kicked her in her stomach and chest, but nothing released her iron like grip.

"Donna, shut the fuck up." Hippolyta said as she rammed her fist through her chest and pulled her heart out.

Marvel Boy rushed her and grabbed her from behind.

"Shazam!" He shouted and a bolt of lightning crashed through the roof and struck Hippolyta.

She fought against him until finally she rammed him into a wall causing him to let go. She turned to him and saw him swallow a lump in his throat. She looked down and saw that her costume had ripped showing off a little of her cleavage.

"Cute. Well fan boy I don't have time to pose anymore." She said as she grabbed his head and twisted it around backward.

The sound of his neck breaking echoed through the fortress and finally she settled her eyes on Amber.

"All alone now ginger. Tell me since you are a spice what would you go with? Fish, or maybe beef. I could cook you along with that piece of Kryptonian beef that I just slaughtered." Hippolyta said as she darkly chuckled.

Before Amber could react Hippolyta was on her. She tried to vibrate fast enough to escape her former friend's grasp, but it was no good. Finally the feeling of something tearing through her womb brought a scream from Amber. She fell to the ground crying and bleeding to death.

"Stop this lyta. This isn't you." A familiar voice said.

"It is now." She said as she turned to face the man she had loved.

He didn't look like his black lantern self. Instead he seemed whole and warm. She watched him as he moved toward her. His stride never broke as he came face to face with her. She felt his hands take the sides of her face and he brought her into a deep kiss. A soft moan escaped her lips as she hugged him back. She was back in his arms, back in Jackie's arms again and she didn't want to ever let go or have him let go.

"I love you Lyta, and I want you to know that it wasn't me. That thing that hurt you wasn't me. I've been safe waiting in the fields." Jackie said when their kiss broke.

Hippolyta looked around herself and at the destruction. Suddenly a violet ring soared through the hole in the ceiling and destroyed the black ring on her finger. She looked around and Jackie was gone. She looked up to see a blond goddess smiling at her.

"He had to return back to the underworld young one, but he helped me because neither of us could stand to see our favorite turned into this… Monster." Aphrodite said as her feet touched the ground.

"He was… He was really here? Oh… Oh Hera what I have done? My friends… I've killed them all…" Hippolyta said as she looked at the bodies around her.

"You've killed no one. I've stopped time for your friends and created a world outside of time and space for you. You have been safe inside a world of my creation and design young one." Aphrodite said.

A look of relief covered her face as she looked at the goddess before her.

"Thank you Lady Aphrodite." Hippolyta said.

"Another thing young one your beloved knows that yours is a life immortal. He wishes for you to find love again. It is a sincere wish that I am happy to help with." Aphrodite said before she disappeared.

The moment Aphrodite disappeared Hippolyta looked up to see the Black Mercy coming for her. She lifted her hand and a violet orb formed around the Black Mercy and placed it back into its container. Kal and Marvel Boy both looked at Donna with their eyes wide. Kal quickly turned his head away from her.

"What?" Hippolyta asked before she looked down at herself to see a violet strap that sort of covered her breast moved down to her waist covered between her legs and barely covered her ass.

She shook her head and looked at Amber, "Boys." She said with an amused smile.

"Okay what happened?" Donna asked looking confused.

"Aphrodite happened. She stopped time for the rest of you and created a world where I could find what I loved enough to bring me out of that 'things' grasp." Hippolyta said as she looked at Donna.

"So… you beat being a 'Black' Lantern?" Donna asked.

"I suppose so." Hippolyta answered.

"Great! Maybe there's hope for Tim and Dick!" Donna exclaimed.

(outside of the watchtower)

Victoria opened her new eyes. The hunger for death filled her as never before. She looked around and saw both M'ire and Olivia floating near her. Smiling she looked toward the earth and began flying toward it. There was so many that she wanted to bring into this new world with her, and the first one she wanted to bring in was Rex.

(Metropolis – Hobb's Bay)

Ali moaned as the fear induced memory of Control Freak tormented her. She tried her hardest to escape, but he was everywhere around her. Nothing seemed to help at all. She screamed out and each time she did Scarecrow laughed in delight. He watched her as her skin began to gray and pale. It wouldn't be long until she was one of them. Of course he had no way of knowing that Ali's father was watching.

(Mt. Olympus.)

Zeus looked down at his daughter being tormented by the hand of the black lantern. Anger flashed through his eyes as he watched this. Like with Heracles, Percerus, and countless others from ages before he was extremely protective of his bastard children, and he didn't like allowing anything to harm them. He knew that with Heracles it was different and his bastard son had to be punished for what he did, but Ali had done nothing.

"I will not stand for this." Zeus said as he stretched out his hand.

Hera watched and was surprised that Zeus actually cared for a daughter instead of a male child. She didn't like the fact that her husband often stepped outside of their marriage and had children, but to see his reaction toward a daughter almost touched her.

(Hobb's Bay – Metropolis)

Scarecrow watched as the girl before him disappeared in a blinding flash of light. His eyes searched for her and a low growl escaped his lips when he realized that she had been taken from this place.

(Themyscira – Hippolyta's Palace)

Queen Hippolyta raised her eye brow as she looked at the figure before her. The girl was a demi god that much was certain, but she looked familiar. As she stepped near the child her eyes widened in anger and disgust, and she grabbed a sword ready to end the life of the spawn of Circe.

"Hippolyta you shall leave that child alone." The booming voice of Zeus commanded.

"My Lord this is the spawn of Circe. She has no place on Themyscira!" Queen Hippolyta exclaimed.

"She will stay here until it is safe for her to return to the mortal world." Zeus commanded.

A feeling of anger flushed over Queen Hippolyta, but she nodded and bowed.

"As you command my lord." She said.

"Train her to fight and she may leave sooner." Zeus commanded as a broad sword appeared near Ali.

The sword seemed to glow a brilliant silver, and its glow caused the dark aura of the Black Lantern energy to disappear from her. Ali groaned and stood to face Queen Hippolyta. The Queen smirked as she looked at Phillipus.

"Phillipus Zeus commanded that we train her… So give her a full training in sword play." Queen Hippolyta said.

(Metropolis – Metro Tower)

Kara finally was able to stand on her own. She looked at Galatea with a sense of relief and appreciation. Even though the two of them didn't get along she was glad that her 'sister' was there. She had finally started referring to Galatea as a sister instead of her clone. It was a step in the right direction since they were both married to the adopted sons of Bruce Wayne. It was funny in a way. Two sisters married two brothers. She shook her head and suddenly a white light flooded through the room. Tim looked around and then his gaze focused on Kara.

"Kara…" He said as his eyes widened.

"Tim… Oh Rao… Tim…" She said as she watched him.

"Join us…" the words slipped through his lips.

"She's not joining anyone." Galatea said as she tossed something toward Tim and within a second later he fell to the floor unable to move.

"What was that?" Kara asked.

"A portable power nullifier. Batman designed them after he reversed engineered Luthor's original power nullifier." Galatea said as she moved toward Tim and lifted his stunned body up and carried him toward the holding cells.

"What are you doing?" Kara exclaimed

"Nullified power or not he's still under the influence of that thing. Believe me if it was Dick I would be doing the same thing. No matter how much it hurt." She whispered the last part as she placed Tim into the holding cell and activated the energy barrier.

(Sixty miles from the Grand Canyon)

Lara groaned as she felt the rough hands of Maximum on her waist. She had been fighting against him, but he seemed to have more energy. She tried to blast him with heat vision only for him to create a shield of red energy to block it. Finally he rushed in and slammed his ring against her stomach and blasted her with a powerful amount of energy from the ring. She groaned and fell to the ground.

"I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart." He smirked.

(Mt Olympus – Dionysus area)

Thanatos walked in with Bruce and both of them saw thousands upon thousands of men and women all engaged in dance, drink, and sex. The chaotic nature of it almost seemed to be a form of order unto itself. Bruce saw a rather large obese being laying on a bed laughing as a huge bottle of wine was brought to him.

"Dance! Dance, Drink, Celebrate! Everything deserves to be celebrated!" Dionysus shouted with laughter.

"Lord Dionysus, We seek your council." Thanatos tried to say over the sound of the music, shouting, and other noises growing in the room.

Bruce stood still for a moment before he whistled loudly and caused all eyes to fall on him.

"A Mortal soul? Does he wish to become a Meenad?" Dionysus asked.

"We seek an ancient you know." Thanatos said as she bowed.

"Hades girl… You know your father stated that he never wanted you at one of my parties. Something about ruining you." Dionysus stated.

"Will you grace us with your council?" She asked.

"Hmmmm… No. And this bores me. More WINE!" HE shouted.


	8. Crazy

_**Justice League Next Generation Dark Days**_

_**Chapter 8 'Crazy'**_

"_**My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb**_

_**And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them**_

_**Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun**_

_**And it's no coincidence I've come**_

_**And I can die when I'm done**_

_**Maybe I'm crazy**_

_**Maybe you're crazy**_

_**Maybe we're crazy**_

_**Probably**_

_**Uh, uh" Gnarls Barkley**_

(Mt. Olympus - Dionysus area)

Bruce watched as the god of wine and celebration laughed as those around him danced. With out warning the entire thing began to turn into a frat boy's dream as an emince orgy began to break out. Taking it upon himself to get the gods attention and make him talk to them if for no other reason than to have them leave Bruce walked up to the first couple he saw and threw a punch toward them. He didn't realize that here, on Olympus he was solid and the punch connected knocking the man that had straddled a young woman off onto his back. The couple looked confused and Bruce smirked.

Within seconds dozens of couples was dazed, and no longer celebrating. Dionysus had begun to growl and stood. Bruce looked at his massive stomach, the testimate of his obvious lifelong excess to drinking, feasting, and sex, began to change. Slowly it drew in showing several abs and Dionysus stood looking like the other perfect bodies of the gods of Olympus.

"You have stopped my celebration mortal…" He said in an angry tone.

"We want your council, you will give it, and then we will leave. After we do you can go back to celebrating whatever you want to." Bruce stated.

"No… I will take this insult from your flesh." Dionysus said as he drew a knife out of a large goose.

"I really… Really wish that you wouldn't have done that." Thanatos said as she backed up.

"Why?" Bruce asked.

"Dionysus is the god of celebration, wine, sex, and basically all of the 'fun excess things', but he is also known as the mad god. Take away his fun and he is nothing but blind fury." Thanatos answered.

"I've dealt with that before." Bruce stated as Dionysus charged them.

Dodging the first attempt to kill them Bruce reached for his ulitilty belt only to find that it was gone. Actually in all truth all of his clothes was gone. He was fighting Dionysus completely in the nude. Not worrying about it for the moment Bruce dodged another near miss and grabbed a golden plate from the table. When Dionysus turned he hurled it and watched as it caught the god between the eyes. A moment later Dionysus let out a feral howl and rushed toward Bruce with all intentions of killing him, but something caused the god to stop. He looked toward Thanatos as she dropped her chiton.

The mad god dropped his knife and walked toward her only to receive a swift kick to the back of his knees. He fell to the floor and Bruce grabbed the rope that connected Dionysus' three tables and ripped it away from there. He threw the rope around Dionysus' neck and held the god of celebration there threatening to choke off his air supply.

"Council or do you want to black out?" Bruce asked.

Thanatos quickly dressed and came toward the area smiling.

"Thank you." She said softly to Bruce.

He nodded and finally Dionysus tapped the floor.

"Which ancient?" He wheezed out.

"We need to know the location of John Constantine." Thanatos answered.

(Themyscira – Training grounds)

"OUCH, QUIT IT!" Ali screamed as Phillipus knocked her to her ass.

"Get up and come at me again." Phillipus stated.

"You are out of your fucking mind! Why would I willingly attack you again?" Ali exclaimed.

"You will attack because your entire reason for being on this island to train, and if you don't train then you will be sent back to man's world where you will die." Phillipus stated.

Groaning Ali picked up the large sword and came at Phillipus again only to knocked back to her ass once more.

"How's the training coming?" Hippolyta asked as she came down.

"My queen have you not been observing?" Phillipus asked.

"Of course I have… and It has been quite entertaining." Hippolyta said with a smirk.

(Fortress of Solitude)

Hippolyta looked back at Marvel boy as he transformed back into Jason Batson. She looked over him for a moment and then looked away. He was cute… He was also just eighteen and she was already in her twenties. Granted she was in her early twenties, but it didn't stop the boy from being extremely cute. She shook her head. Right now she needed to focus on setting things right.

"Donna, I'm going to need your help." Hippolyta said.

"I'll come with you." Jason Batson said as he stood.

She turned toward him and he quickly turned his head and she could see him blushing lightly. Pearls of laughter escaped her. She couldn't get over how sweet and innocent Jason was. She thought of what Aphrodite had said and the thought that the goddess of love might be attempting to give her another chance now wasn't lost on her, but she didn't want it right now. She needed to help the world, she needed to be a hero, and she still missed Jackie.

_He wants you to find love again, and it is a wish that I am very willing to grant. _What Aphrodite had told her replayed through her mind but she shook it off.

"Alright, those able to come along let's go. We'll get a situation read out from the Watchtower." She said before the all took off.

(Blüdhaven – Rex Stewarts home)

Rex heard the sound of something slamming into the small area that the realtor had called a back yard. He stepped outside and saw Victoria stand up. Right away he could see the pale skin, silver eyes, and black outfit she was wearing. He backed up as she moved toward him.

"Join us Rex… Join me." She said softly.

"Vicki… Vicki don't do this. I love you, please don't make me hurt you." Rex said as he looked at her.

She threw a punch and Rex dodged it barely. He moved back and she quickly moved in on him. She attempted to hit him again and this time she caught his shirt. She pulled him close and looked into his eyes. Something flashed in her own and she pushed him away.

"Get away Rex… Leave now…" She said straining to hold herself away from him.

"Fight it Vicki." Rex said to her.

"I… I can't… I'm doing everything from attacking you now…" She said as sobs escaped her.

Rex moved toward her and gently touched her cheek. She looked at him and pulled him into a deep kiss. In that moment they swam in the oceans of each other's taste. He felt her push away again, but this time she looked different. She had color to her, she looked better.

"I love you." She said before she turned and ran.

"Vicki no!" He shouted as he tried to chase after her, but she was already gone.


End file.
